E15 is coming!

[broncc]

Recently the EPA announced that they would be reducing evaporative emissions standards on summer gas so that up to 15% ethanol can be sold nation-wide.

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/ep...es-americans-relief-pump-approving-nationwide

I have called several of the big energy companies trying to figure out if their fuels are going to exploit this deregulation. The reps either have no idea yet or let me go to voicemail. I’m very concerned about the increase. My Bronco, as well as many members of this forums trucks, are not compatible with high ethanol quantity fuel.

Does anyone here have advance knowledge about what to expect at the pump?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My 302 doesn't seem to care compared to regular E10.

Neither my 2016 F-150 with the 5.0 or my wife's 2022 Bronco with the 2.3 seem to care either.

 

[RobbieD]

Does anyone here have advance knowledge about what to expect at the pump?

Pain.

 

[broncc]

My 302 doesn't seem to care compared to regular E10.

Mass has lots of humidity in the summer. My Capri is carbureted and I'm worried about corrosion. I have also boiled fuel several times in the last week of winter gas season. I can't imagine its gonna get better with the higher vapor pressure of E15 on those 90f+ days with 80% humidity.

 

[Blmpkn]

Mass has lots of humidity in the summer. My Capri is carbureted and I'm worried about corrosion. I have also boiled fuel several times in the last week of winter gas season. I can't imagine its gonna get better with the higher vapor pressure of E15 on those 90f+ days with 80% humidity.

Fuel cooler?

 

[Curious Hound]

I, personally wouldn't consider E15 "high ethanol content". Don't think my 3.0l would care. Of course, my 3.0l and I tend to abuse each other.

 

[broncc]

Fuel cooler?

Boils in the carburetor. I have as much plastic spacer as hood clearance allows.

Don't think my 3.0l would care.

Ford cared enough to write this in the 1995 owners manual in the tech library:
"Gasolines For Clean Air

Fuels in certain areas of the country are required to contain oxygenates to improve air quality. Common oxygenates are ethanol or grain alcohol (blended at no more than 10%), methanol or wood alcohol (blended at no more than 5% with cosolvents and additives) and MTBE or methyl tertiary butyl ether (blended at no more than 15%)"

I should have been more specific in OP. I don't want to discuss if its okay for my car. I want to ask if we will be able to purchase fuel with less than 15% ethanol this summer.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Mass has lots of humidity in the summer. My Capri is carbureted and I'm worried about corrosion. I have also boiled fuel several times in the last week of winter gas season. I can't imagine its gonna get better with the higher vapor pressure of E15 on those 90f+ days with 80% humidity.

Mine has always had an issue with that in the summer, Edelbrocks have the bowls mounted low and are good for it. I also have an electric fuel pump which helps alleviate some of it. Fuel boils out and floods the engine but it is instantly reprimed when I turn it back on. I did block the exhaust crossover in the intake and had a 1/2" spacer too.

It would hot start right away great, let it sit for 10min and it would be flooded. Like I said it did it with everything, I never really noticed ethanol being any worse but every setup will be different.

Edelbrocks are notoriously horrible for it and that is one of the reasons I am currently putting EFI in it.

 

[Curious Hound]

Boils in the carburetor. I have as much plastic spacer as hood clearance allows.


Ford cared enough to write this in the 1995 owners manual in the tech library:
"Gasolines For Clean Air

Fuels in certain areas of the country are required to contain oxygenates to improve air quality. Common oxygenates are ethanol or grain alcohol (blended at no more than 10%), methanol or wood alcohol (blended at no more than 5% with cosolvents and additives) and MTBE or methyl tertiary butyl ether (blended at no more than 15%)"

I should have been more specific in OP. I don't want to discuss if its okay for my car. I want to ask if we will be able to purchase fuel with less than 15% ethanol this summer.

Fortunately, there are plenty of stations with non-ethanol in my area. When I take the lawn equipment cans to get filled, I top off the Ranger with non-ethanol.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’m concerned. The original thing I heard said the E15 will only be for 3-4 weeks, in which case I can float by if I fill up everything beforehand.

The concern is that with the Government it’s never “just a couple weeks” or “only temporary.” If you don’t believe that let’s have a discussion about the “temporary and voluntary” Federal Income Tax.

Someone wearing a tin foil hat would say this is to destroy all the older vehicles on the road which they’ve already tried to do with the Cash4Clunkers, the push for electric vehicles only, etc.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

I posted this in another thread, but I use Pure-Gas.org's list to find non-ethanol (E0) gas.

 

[Blmpkn]

Boils in the carburetor. I have as much plastic spacer as hood clearance allows.


Ford cared enough to write this in the 1995 owners manual in the tech library:
"Gasolines For Clean Air

Fuels in certain areas of the country are required to contain oxygenates to improve air quality. Common oxygenates are ethanol or grain alcohol (blended at no more than 10%), methanol or wood alcohol (blended at no more than 5% with cosolvents and additives) and MTBE or methyl tertiary butyl ether (blended at no more than 15%)"

I should have been more specific in OP. I don't want to discuss if its okay for my car. I want to ask if we will be able to purchase fuel with less than 15% ethanol this summer.

It wouldn't hurt to cool the fuel as much as possible BEFORE it gets to the carb though. Think of it as a pot of water... Fill a pot with HOT water from the tap and it'll boil MUCH quicker than If you had filled it with cool water.

As others have said though... More and more places are offering ethanol free gas at their stations. I live in a town of a mere 6k people and we have at least one station that offers ethanol free.. Portland has quite a few.

Considering the population density of mass vs maine... I think it'd be safe to assume that you have a lot easier/more common access to pure petrol... A search on Google would likely tell you everywhere you can find it at a pump.

 

[Blmpkn]

I posted this in another thread, but I use Pure-Gas.org's list to find non-ethanol (E0) gas.

Considering the population density of mass vs maine... I think it'd be safe to assume that you have a lot easier/more common access to pure petrol... A search on Google would likely tell you everywhere you can find it at a pump.

Whelp.... As the old saying goes... 'curiosity may have finished the cat off, but making wild assumptions took it's other 8 lives first"

Checked the site... Mass has 22 places to get e0... Maine has well over 100 with most of them being up in logging country.

I know @broncc has a 4 wheel drive, as long as he has a shotgun and a rifle he should move up here.. as a country boy can survive.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm impressed that puregas does Canada. Too bad no stations near me.

 

[broncc]

I know @broncc has a 4 wheel drive, as long as he has a shotgun and a rifle he should move up here.. as a country boy can survive.

Northern Maine isn't part of the N-RFG range. There seem to be 4 main blends of gasoline in the USA: standard, northeastern reformulated, southeastern reformulated, and California. N-RFG is year-round E10 blend with added oxidizer and no benzene. In the winter they dilute it with butane and that causes the boiling issue. I have an electric fuel pump and I have the line wrapped in spark plug wire heat insulation. I have been calling the gas companies in hopes of them committing to carrying at least one type of gas that does not exceed 10% ethanol. I remember looking at pure-gas years ago and discovering all the locations in MA sell in cans only.

I am trying to move north, though. I don't know if I'd make it farther than New Hampshire. As much as I like to pretend that becoming a woodsman is the ideal way to live out my days I sure like getting a paycheck every two weeks.